Daily Readings - Sat Jun 05 2021

¹Then Tobit called his son to him, and he said to him, "What are we able to give to this holy man, who accompanied you?²Tobias, answering, said to his father: "Father, what wages shall we give him? And what could be worthy of his benefits³He led me and he brought me back safely. He received the money from Gabael. He caused me to have my wife. And he confined the demon away from her. He caused joy to her parents. Myself, he rescued from being devoured by the fish. As for you, he also caused you to see the light of heaven. And so, we have been filled with all good things through him. What could we possibly give to him that would be worthy of these things⁴But I implore you, my father, to ask him if he would perhaps deign to take for himself half of all the things that have been brought.⁵And calling him, the father especially, and the son, they took him aside. And they began to petition him, so that he would deign to accept ownership of one half part of all things that they had brought⁶Then he said to them privately: "Bless the God of heaven, and confess to him in the sight of all who live, for he has acted in his mercy toward you⁷For it is good to conceal the secret of a king, just as it is also honorable to reveal and to confess the works of God⁸Prayer with fasting is good, and almsgiving is better than hiding away gold in storage⁹For almsgiving delivers from death, and the same is what purges sins and makes one able to find mercy and everlasting life¹⁰But those who commit sin and iniquity are enemies to their own soul¹¹Therefore, I reveal the truth to you, and I will not hide the explanation from you¹²When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and left behind your dinner, and hid the dead by day in your house, and buried them by night: I offered your prayer to the Lord¹³And because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary for you to be tested by trials¹⁴And now, the Lord has sent me to cure you, and to free Sarah, your son’s wife, from the demon¹⁵For I am the Angel Raphael, one of seven, who stand before the Lord.¹⁶And when they had heard these things, they were troubled, and being seized with fear, they fell upon the ground on their face¹⁷And the Angel said to them: "Peace be to you. Fear not¹⁸For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God. Bless him, and sing to him¹⁹Indeed, I seemed to eat and drink with you, but I make use of an invisible food and drink, which cannot be seen by men²⁰Therefore, it is time that I return to him who sent me. But as for you, bless God, and describe all his wonders.

Mark

Chapter 12

³⁸And he said to them in his doctrine: "Beware of the scribes, who prefer to walk in long robes and to be greeted in the marketplace³⁹and to sit in the first chairs in the synagogues, and to have the first seats at feasts⁴⁰who devour the houses of widows under the pretense of long prayers. These shall receive the more extensive judgment.⁴¹And Jesus, sitting opposite the offertory box, considered the way in which the crowd cast coins into the offertory, and that many of the wealthy cast in a great deal⁴²But when one poor widow had arrived, she put in two small coins, which is a quarter⁴³And calling together his disciples, he said to them: "Amen I say to you, that this poor widow has put in more than all those who contributed to the offertory⁴⁴For they all gave from their abundance, yet truly, she gave from her scarcity, even all that she had, her entire living.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about humility, sincerity, and the true nature of service to God. In the first reading from Tobit, the angel Raphael reveals his divine identity to Tobit and his son Tobias. Raphael emphasizes the importance of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, explaining that these practices not only honor God but also bring healing and mercy. He reminds them that true faith is not about seeking recognition or reward but about trusting in God’s providence and living with humility. The reading concludes with Raphael’s return to heaven, leaving Tobit and Tobias in awe and gratitude for the divine intervention in their lives. In the Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples against the hypocrisy of the scribes, who seek praise and recognition through their outward displays of piety. He then draws attention to the poor widow who, despite her poverty, gives everything she has to the temple. Jesus praises her generosity, noting that she has given more than the wealthy donors because she offered her entire living, trusting in God’s care. This contrast between the scribes’ pretense and the widow’s sincerity underscores the importance of living a life of authentic faith, where actions are motivated by love for God rather than the desire for human approval. These readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Are we living with the humility and sincerity that Tobit and the widow exemplify, or are we tempted to seek recognition for our good deeds? Raphael’s words remind us that true service to God is about trusting in His plan and living with gratitude, even in the face of trials. The widow’s example teaches us that generosity is not measured by what we have but by the love and trust with which we give. Let us strive to live in such a way that our actions reflect our faith, not for the sake of appearances, but because we know that everything we have comes from God, and everything we give is a response to His boundless love.